1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a steering column for a vehicle, and more particularly to a steering column for a vehicle which can allow a user to accurately and easily adjust a location of a steering wheel as an adjusting bolt is moved in stages in a telescope slot when a telescope is operated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
As demands on a driver-oriented intelligent vehicle increase due to various demands of consumers, tilt and telescope steering systems for adjusting a relative location of a steering wheel with respect to a driver are increasingly mounted so that a driver can conveniently manipulate the steering wheel in this trend. Here, a tilt and telescope steering system refers to a system for adjusting a location of a steering wheel used in a car, and adjustments of a location of the steering system includes a tilt operation and a telescope operation.
First, the tilt operation refers to an adjustment of a vertical fixing angle of the steering wheel, and the telescope operation refers to an adjustment of a distance between the steering wheel and the driver which is made by making the length of the steering column longer or shorter.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a part of a steering column for a vehicle according to the related art.
Referring to FIG. 1, the steering column for a vehicle according to the related art includes: an outer tube 100 accommodating a steering shaft 175 connected to a steering wheel 103; an inner tube 170 introduced into the outer tube 100; a lower bracket 165 fixing the inner tube 170 to a vehicle body; a mounting bracket 105 installed at an upper side of the outer tube 100 to be fixed to the vehicle body; a telescope bracket 180 integrally fixed to the outer tube 100 and having a telescope slot 185; a tilt bracket 150 integrally formed with the mounting bracket 105 and in which a tilt slot 110 is formed to be long; a tilt fixing gear 145 formed on an outer surface of the tilt bracket 150; a tilt actuating gear 140 engaged with or disengaged from the tilt fixing gear 145; an adjusting bolt 130 passing through the tilt slot 110; a cam 135 engaged with the tilt actuating gear 140; a washer 125 and a nut 120 fixing the cam 135 and a tilt lever; and a gear spring 142 located between the tilt actuating gear 140 and the tilt fixing gear 145.
The telescopic operation is completed by releasing the tilt lever 115, changing a location of the adjusting bolt 130 along the telescope slot 185 formed in the telescope bracket 180, and fastening the tilt lever 115.
The tilt operation is completed by releasing the tilt lever 115, changing a location of the adjusting bolt 130 along the tilt slot 110, and fastening the tilt lever 115.
Although the tilt fixing gear 145 and the tilt actuating gear 140 are attached to each other such that the outer tube 100 and the steering shaft 175 are fixed while the tilt lever 115 is locked, the tilt actuating gear 140 is separated from the tilt fixing gear 145 by the cam 135 if the tilt lever 115 is released so that the outer tube 100 and the inner tube 170 can be moved in a tilting direction with respect to a lower tilt center 160.
Here, the gear spring 142 is fitted with and mounted on the adjusting bolt 130 between the tilt fixing gear 145 and the tilt actuating gear 140 to space the tilt actuating gear and the tilt fixing gear 145 which are engaged with each other when the tilt lever 115 is released from each other.
However, since the steering column for a vehicle according to the related art cannot adjust a movement distance of the adjusting bolt in the telescope slot when a driver uses the telescopic function, the driver cannot easily locate the steering wheel at a desired location.